Apparatus for burning fluid fuel



Deed: 7 1926. 1,609,457

J. M. BROWN I APPARATUS FOR BURNING FLUID FUEL IN VENTOR JOHN H. seen/y ATTORNEYS Dec. 7,1926." 1,609,457 J. M. BROWN APPARATUS FOR BURNING FLUID FUEL Filed March 1, 1924 j 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nvvzwroz JO/HY M, BROWN Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

JOHN monsoon nnown, or ravmeron, new mnsnx.

arranarus non BURNING FLUID FUEL.

Application flled march 1, .1924. Serial No. 696,187.

This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for burning fluid :fuel and more particularl viscous fluid, suc as low grade oil.

6 An object of the invention is to provide a burner of high efiiciency and of simple construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a burner for efi'ectin a complete com- I" bustion of a fuel by preeating to a high temperature a fuel mixed with a gas 111st prior to the ignition of such mixture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel burning system having a minimum number of operating parts and low maintenance cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fuel burner which is capable of effecting the burning of fuel with a minimum formation of carbon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel oil burner which is capable of cracking the fuel oil prior to its ignition.

Various other objects and advantages or the invention will be apparent from the following description.

The desirability of using a fluid fuel as a heat-generating medium is dependent upon the elficiency of such fuel, that is, the amount of British thermal units attained per unit of volume of the fuel. The ideal condition, of course, is the complete combus-' tion of the ,fuel, and it follows that if such a stage is'reached no residue in solid form, such as carbon or unburned particles of oil,

- will result. g

It has been found that heretofore in burn ers wherein a rich or a lean mixture of fuel, such, for example, as crude oil and air, is used, an increment of carbon is deposited upon the walls of the combustion chamber, flue, or other places. This deposit absorbs minute quantities of unignited oil, becoming in time saturated until finally an explo-' sion or ignition occurs, often with serious results. I a

. The present invention aims to not only avoid the possibility of the above disadvantages, bu at the same time to. provide a burner 0 high efiicieney by approaching the ideal condition in so far as complete combustion is concerned. I

The above described conditions are, when practising my invention, attained bybrmgto the utilization of aing to 'ether and mixing the fuel and another fluid at a point comparatively remote from the point of combustion. The mixed fuel is then propelled intoa fire trou 'h or pot and ignited. I have found it desirable to pre-heat the fuel at such a high temperature rior to combustion in order to convert it into a highly active gaseous condi tion, or into its low-bpiling point CODStltllents, andfor that purpose lead the fuel tof the fire ot by such a route that the fuel 6 is passe through an extremely highly heated re ion prior to combustion. Considerable a vantage is derived from the pre-heating operation. The density of the mixture of fuel passing to the fire-pot can be con- 7 trolled and as the mixture entersthepreheater it is converted toa highly gaseous state just prior to combustion. This action or chemical change prevents the ejection of the less volatile constituents of the fuel oil through the ,burner, which would include relatively large solid particles, some of which might escape the full effect of the heat during the combustion period, and thus be precipitated on the walls of the combustion chamber and flue. As above stated, a deposit of such particles of oil together with the carbon deposit in the various re-v cesses and crevices of a furnace constitute a potential force that is often released by ignition and results in a disastrous explosion.

I have also found that more complete combustion is attained by passing the carburetted fuel through a conduit of relatively small effective area in transverse section and connecting this conduit with a relatively large capacity pre-heating chamber in which is located a hot-spot against which the fuel oil is projected. I attribute the advantages 'attained'by the burner partly to this construction and believe that the rapid expansion of the mixture as it enters, the large chamber is augmented by the high temperature present and the issuing fuel is brought to a high degree of combustibility. Furthermore, the Ipeculiar arrangement of the expansion cham er makes it possible to pass the mixture over what may .be termed a hot-spot, that is, at a given area of the conduit the heat is concentrated. Thus as the mixture becomes subjected to this heated area the undivided fuel particles that have heretofpre been prevalent in-pipe systems are broken up and the deposit' that may adhere to the wall of the chamber reduced to a minimum.

This invention may be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1' is a diagrammatic plan View of the oil burning system.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the burner element combined with the system.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of my burner elements, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the burner shown in Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line V-V in Fig. 3, and

Fig.6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VIVI, in Fig. 5. I

A fuel-burning system may, in accordance with my invention, comprise a suitable source of energy, as for example a motor 10, any desirable type of mixing device, such for example as a carburetor 11, a rotary pump 12, and a burner13.

Fuel may be fed by gravity or otherwise to the carburetor or mixer by a pipe 14 connected with a fuel supply tank 15. The mixer may be provided with the usual regulated air inlet 16 and the vapor outlet 17 thereof may be in communication with the pump 12. Any well known t e of rotary pump may be used having t e shaft 18 thereof provided with a pulley 19 driven by a belt conne ion with a pulley 21 secured to the sha t 2201. the motor.

The burner 13 may comprise upper and lower portions 23 and 24, respectively, and maybe connected to the outlet side of the pump 12 by a conduit or manifold 20, and a mixture may thus be driven to the burner.

Inthe embodiment of the burner illustrated, the lower portion 24" may comprise construction, is provided with lateral webs or shelves 26 integral therewith, upon'which a fire-brick 27 having a central upwardly flaring opening is positioned. The firebrick may, if desirable, be formed 'of sections, and when in position. constitutes in conjunction with the webs 26 a troughshaped crater which may be termed the the pot of the burner. The nozzle 25 is provided with a plurality of relatively large diameter perforations 28 (see Fig. 3) spaced. at intervals-along the upper surface. At each side of the perforations 28, is. another row of smaller diameter perforations 29 and a row of still smaller holes 31 is provided at each side of the nozzle and so arranged as to be adjacent to the fire-brick 27. These latter holes are drilled or cast at such an angle that when the gaseous'fuel is ejected therefrom the flameswill impinge upon the fire-brick 27 and maintain it at a high temr ure, t e; f he fl of f e m9- mentarily terminated, it would when resumed become ignited. These holes 31,

therefore, serve as pilot jets, while the ports 28 and 29 eject the main portion of the fuel and cause the intense blue flame which gives off the major portionof the heat, and also serve to maintain the pre-heater at an extremely high temperature.

The perforations in the nozzle may be pro vided. with teats 26' formed of a high heat resistant and non-corrosive material, such as tungsten steel, and the like.

The ends of the lower or nozzle portion 24 of the burner 13 are provided with flanges 33 which may be bolted to companion flanges 32 at the ends of the upper portion 23.

The flanges maybe maintained in a steamtight fit by bolts '34 passing through holes which will permit suflicient, relative movement of the lower portion 23 of the burner resulting from the expansion and contraction caused by the changes in temperature.

The upper ortion 23 of the burner is constructed to a 0rd a passage-we for the fuel to enter the nozzle 25 and a re atively large section 35 of this passageway is disposed in the path of travel of radiated heat waves which have been indicated in the drawing by, arrows and against which the flames, emerging from the perforations or fuel ejector ports, may impinge. This section may be generally termed a pre-heater, and the side passages, i. e., the portions 45 and 46 adjacent to the flanges, may serve to maintain the gases generated in the pre-heater in such a state.

Thefuel passing through the-section 35 of the burner, is therefore subjected to the high temperature emanating from the fire-pot and the molecules thereof become agitated and result in the conversion of the vaporized fuel into a highly active gaseous state. This gas immediately, by reason of the close prox imity of the section 35 to the nozzle 25, enters the fire-pot for ignition and approaches the perfect state of complete fuel combustion and a high degree of heat generation is attained per unit of fuel consumed.

The pre-heater is preferably formed of two or more .portions 36 and 37 which diverge toward the nozzle and meet at a common point or pocket, the pocket being disposed centrally, longitudinally of the nozzle the fuel divides for passage through the respective portions to be ejected from the noz .zle. The pocket ,38 by reason of my con- .structmn is in closer relation to the. fire than the portions 36 and 37, and provides is small and is generally removed through the chemical reactions taking place within the pre-heater, it is nevertheless desirable to provide means of access to the various pas sag eways. Such means may comprise threaded plugs 40, suitably located so as to permit direct passage through the main portions of the burner, which may thus be cleaned by a brush or by a; steam jet.

The eficient operation of my burner may be attributed to the peculiarity of my construction in that the vaporized oil is led through a small pipe and projected against a hot-spot and there converted into an extremely high gaseous state in which condition the fuel oil is divide volatile constituents. Upon striking the hot-sppt, the volume of as increases tremendously, and this sud en expansion is taken care of by making the manifold of considerably larger diameter than the inlet pipe 14. From the foregoing it is apparent that the flowca acity of the discharge 0on duit or manifo d is greater than the flow capacity of the inlet pipe or fuel passage-r way 14. By reason of the central location of the entrance pipe with respect to the manifold. and the upwardly diverging character of the manifold arms 36 and 37, the expanding gases which are of much lower specific gravity than the vaporized fuel'oil entering the manifold, tend to rise, so that the upwardly converging conduits permit the expanded gas totravel in the desired path through the same and downwardly in the vertical portions 45 and 46 of the burner until they reach the fire-pot,- when again they are expanded and rapidlyrise upward- 1y through. the burner openings to be ignited into, a blue flame of intense heat. This movement of the vaporized and expanded fuel may he termed a forced circulation of the as. 7

though a preferred constructionof m invention has been illustrated and describe it is to be understood that persons skilled 'in the art may make modifications therein,

but it is to be appreciated that such modifications as come within the terms of the appended claims are contemplated by me as falling within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is;- I 1. An oil burner comprising a chamber having a portion thereof adapted to be heated to a temperature enoughto convert a mixture of oil and air into gaseous products, means for heating said portion of into its morethe chamber to the required temperature, an inlet conduit connected to said chamber for discharging a mixture of oil and air directly against the heated portion of the chamber, a discharge conduit connected to said chamber for removing the gaseous products formed therein, the flow capacity of said discharge conduit being greater than the flow capacity of said inlet'conduit, and

means connected to said discharge conduit for burning the gaseous products.

2. The combination in an oil burner of means for producing a mixture of oil and air in predetermined proportions, a fuel passageway connected to said means, preheating means associated withsaid passageway for preheating said mixture of oil and air to form gaseous products therefrom, a discharge passageway connected to said preheating means, the flow capacity of said discharge passageway being greater than the flow capacity of said fuel passageway, and means connected to said discharge passageway for burning the gaseous products produced in said preheating means.

3. An oil burner comprisln means for providing a mixture of fuel oil and air in predetermined proportions, a fuel passageway connected to said means, means associated with said fuel passageway for-converting said mixture of oil and air into gaseous products, a discharge conduit for said gaseous products, the flow capacity of said discharge conduit being greater than the flow capacity of said fuel passageway, and a burner adapted to Lburn gaseous products connected to said discharge conduit.

4. An oil burner comprising a chamber,

means 'for providing \vithin said chamber a zone of intense heat, an inlet conduit connected to said chamber for conducting a mixture of oiland air to said zone ofv intense heat, a discharge conduit connected to said chamber, the flow capacity of said discharge conduit being greater than the flow capacity of said inlet conduit, and means connected to said discharge conduit for burning the resultant fuel.

5. A crude oil burner comprising means for atomizing fluid oil and mixing the same with a predetermined quantity of air, a feed pipe, a pre-heater' connected thereto, said pre-heater comprising a plurality of pipes converging downwardly and meeting to form a hot spot, the upper ends of said pipes terminating in downwardly extending zle, the mid portionof said' re-heating and expansion pipe being positioned closer to said nozzle than the remaining portions and constituting a hot-spot, and an inlet pipe connected to said pre-heater adjacent said hot-spot.

7. An; oil burner comprising means for atomizing fluid oil and mixing the same with a predetermined quantity of air, an inlet pipe of relatively small diameter for vaporized fuel, an expansion chamber of larger diameter than said inlet pipe, said inlet pipe entering said expansion chamber substantially centrally thereof, said expansion chamber having two upwardly and 15 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 20 subscribed my name this 26th day of F ebruary, 1924.

JOHN MURTON BROWN. 

